Something Lost, Something Found
by coolsville times
Summary: Sometimes you have to lose something in order to find something.


_Something Lost, Something Found..._

**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own Generation-X or the characters.

**Summary:** Sometimes you have to lose something in order to find something.

**Authors Notes:** _A few years ago_ _I did a one-shot following the events of Generation-X #68 entitled "Comfort" and looking back on it now, I find myself cringing at just the thought of reading it again. With this thought in mind, I decided to re-do said one-shot and I was just going to add the new one onto the other one as a second chapter. After editing my new one-shot, however, I came to find that even though there were some similarities between both pieces of work, my new one-shot wasn't a re-write of an old piece, it was an entirely new piece. Being completely different from the first, I decided that it wasn't right to put both fics under the same name so here it is: a second (and hopefully better) version of what should have happened after Jubilee's room was burned._

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_Something Lost, Something Found..._

Jono watched silently as Jubilee and Angelo rambled on about how freaky it was having Adrienne Frost at the mansion. Looking over his team leader, Jono suddenly realized how good she looked in their new prep-school attire and how had never really taken the time to notice just how good looking Jubilee was. He had always been so hung up on Paige that he had never really taken notice of the young Chinese-American before but lately it seemed that she was all he ever thought about.

Surprisingly, Paige had been fairly easy to get over. After he had come to terms with the fact that he had mainly been interested in her because she had reminded him of Gayle and he had wanted to try and stay like he had been before his powers changed his life, it was only a matter of days before thoughts of Paige were gone completely. The only problem with this new development was that now his thoughts were consumed by the young Ms. Lee.

To say she wasn't beautiful would have been to lie. Jubilee was petite and cute in a very feminine way, yet she was a strong and unyielding team leader and had an attitude that demanded attention and respect that could rival most men's. She was always full of surprises as well. Just when Jono thought he had the cute little valley girl all figured out, she would do something so out of the blue that made his whole opinion about her change. Backtracking his thoughts, Jono decided that it was unfair for him to refer to Jubilee as simply a _'girl'_ but she wasn't a woman yet, either. She was somewhere in-between and at the moment, Jono couldn't think of a way to categorize her.

Pulled out of his thoughts at Paige's statement of smelling something and Angelo's announcement that it was something burning, Jono looked down the hall to see smoke billowing around the corner.

_*Down that way.*_ He projected to his three companions as he raced towards the end of the hall, taking for granted that they would follow.

Turning the corner, Jono's eyes widened as he feasted them on what had been set ablaze. He heard his friends stop behind him and suddenly felt frozen to his spot; the only thing that got him moving was seeing Jubilee's tiny form bolt forward toward the fire.

Before he could even think things through, Jono had raced after her and hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her back against him and away from the fire.

_*Jubilee, no! Stay back!*_ He told her.

"But my room!" She exclaimed trying to break free from him.

Jono only tightened his grip and said: _*There's nothing we can do about it now, luv.* _

_Luv?_ Where had that come from? He only used that term with a significant other and he had never used it with Jubilee. Heck, he had hardly used it with Paige.

"But we can still..." She faltered, still struggling in his grasp.

_*Throwing yar life away won't solve anything.*_ He whispered gently across her mind, hoping to calm her down. It did nothing to ease her struggle, though and Jono didn't know how much longer he could hold her back. Who knew such a tiny creature could put up such a fight?

Turning abruptly in his grasp, Jubilee's anguish turned to anger and she began to forcibly beat on his shoulders.

"Let me go, Jono!" She yelled. "You don't understand...none of you understand." And suddenly her yells turned to sobs and she felt her knees give out.

Sinking with her to the floor, Jono brought her closer to him and began to whisper comforting words across her mind as she sobbed incoherently into his neck.

_*Shh, everything's going to be alright, luv. Jono's here, Jono'll take care of ya.*_

His telepathic voice was kind and comforting and his words were meant for her mind only. He didn't know when he had blocked everyone else out and began speaking to her exclusively but he had and he had done so unconsciously.

Suddenly he heard movement behind him and felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up he saw Angelo, who quietly told him that he was going to go get Ms. Frost and Mr. Cassidy. Jono nodded and silently motioned toward Paige, who was still frozen in the middle of the hall. Angelo looked back, spoke to Paige quietly and soon the hall was empty save for Jono and Jubilee.

Jono didn't know how long he sat there, Jubilee silently crying in his arms, but he did know that is was probably one of the most precious moments he had ever experienced. For the first time in his entire life he was able to help someone close to him, be there for someone he cared deeply for. He hadn't been able to be there for Gayle but for some strange reason, this situation seemed direr. It seemed to warrant his attention and Jubilee seemed to need him more than Gayle, or anyone else, ever could have. He didn't know when he had fallen in love with her but he knew, as he sat holding her in front of the ashes that use to be her room, that he did indeed love her.

As Jubilee's shaking body began to still in his arms, Jono felt another hand on his shoulder. This time when he looked up, he saw Ms. Frost's blue gaze staring back at him.

_*Thank you for staying with her but you can give her to me now.*_ Were the words that flashed across his mind, colored with Ms. Frost's elegant, high class tone.

Jono looked at her kind, waiting arms for a moment before silently shaking his head and hugging Jubilee protectively to him. With an arm around her back and one behind her knees, Jono gathered himself off the floor, Jubilee in his arms, and assured Ms. Frost that Jubilee would be well taken care of before brushing past her, Mr. Cassidy and the rest of his teammates and heading to his own room.

Jono didn't know what possessed him to take control of this situation and appoint himself as Jubilee's official protector but he did. He felt a duty, a responsibility to do so. Shaking his head as he walked, he corrected his thoughts. It wasn't a responsibility and the feelings inside him ran far deeper than mere duty, it was a feeling that _compelled_ him to be there for her, urged him to comfort her and take care of her. He felt a deep desire to be the one to dry her tears and gently kiss her forehead and for once, Jono decided to listen to his heart. Follow what his heart wanted instead of pushing people away because of what his head was saying.

As Jono reached his room, he debated on how he was going to open the door. Looking down at Jubilee, wondering if she had pulled herself together enough to stand on her own for a few seconds, Jono found her asleep.

_*Poor gel. Worried herself to exhaustion.*_ He mused, shifting the sleeping girl in his arms so that he could hold her with one arm and open the door with the other.

After struggling for a minute or so Jono finally gained entrance to his room and walked in, kicking the door shut behind him. Placing Jubilee on his bed, Jono silently wondered how Jubilee would handle everything when she got up. Her room and possessions being burned, memories forever lost, breaking down in front of her teammates and waking up in his room.

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When Jubilee awoke a few hours later, she realized that the horrible experience she had figured was just a dream was, in fact, a reality. She was in a strange, yet somehow familiar room and she could feel tears sliding down her cheeks. Looking around in hopes of figuring out where she was, Jubilee saw nothing but darkness. The walls were dark, the carpet was dark, the sheets under her and the large blanket that covered her were dark and no light shone in the room.

Rubbing her eyes and sliding out from under the thick blanket that covered her, Jubilee found herself barefooted and after a closer inspection of herself, she realized that her tie and vest had been removed leaving her in only her skirt and white dress shirt. Whoever had brought her here, wherever here was, obviously had her comfort in mind.

Reaching up and taking out the hair-tie that kept her ponytail in place, Jubilee once again took in her surroundings. This place was so familiar but for some reason, she couldn't for the life of her figure out where she was. She did have an inkling that she was still in the mansion, though and that was the only thought that kept her calm.

Concentrating as hard as she could, Jubilee summoned her untrained telepathy and psychically reached out, trying to see if anyone was in the room with her. It would have helped if she had the power to seek out the person closest to her but her telepathy wasn't that strong so she had to settle for just scanning the room.

After a few minutes of struggled searching, Jubilee found that someone was indeed in the room with her and instantly realized where she was. Jono's room. The only questions left to ask were how and why? From the peacefulness of his mind, Jubilee gathered that he was asleep and decided that how and why could wait until he was up.

Slipping back under the covers, Jubilee rested her back against the headboard and thought back on the events of that night, or last night. How long had she slept anyway?

Shaking her head and deeming the matter unimportant, Jubilee searched the recesses of her mind, trying to remember what had happened. She remembered seeing her room ablaze and running towards the fire and she recalled a strong arm around her waist, a lean torso and Jono's soft, husky telepathic voice styled with that thick English brogue of his but that's where her mind went blank and her memory began working against her. Why couldn't she remember what happened?

After what seemed like hours of eternal mental searching, Jubilee brought her knees up to her chest, crossed her arms across them and cried. It was the only thing she could think to do. A long time ago she had promised herself that she would never cry again but she had obviously broken that promise already and what was the harm in letting out a few tears when you were alone?

Being alone with her sorrow obviously wasn't in the cards, however because as soon as she began to weep quietly she felt the right side of the bed give and an arm wrap around her, gently pulling her into that same lean torso from earlier and she went. Heaven help her she went. What must Jono think of her? This was the second time in less than twenty four hours that she had, not only broken down in front of him, but relied on him, clung to him like a lifeline.

All coherent thought and fears of how she appeared left her, though when Jono's soft voice crept into her mind again.

_*'S alright, luv. Ya go ahead and cry if you need to.*_ He whispered as he situated himself against the headboard and pulled her into his lap. _*Let it out, luv. I won't judge ya.*_

Jubilee knew that his statement was supposed to be comforting but for some reason it only made her cry harder. What was happening to her? She was supposed to be strong and tough, she was supposed to have her act together, set an example for her Generation-X teammates not break down in their arms and cry herself to sleep in their rooms. How was anyone going to respect her when she was acting like such a child?

Even though her mind was yelling at her to be an adult and save face, her heart had other plans. Her heart was telling her to cry all she needed, let everything she had been holding back out. It was telling her that there was a good-looking guy beside her who cared about her and was willing to hold her until she felt that she could stand on her own and that she should be taking advantage of that. Before she could take comfort in Jono's arms, though, there was one major question that needed to be answered.

Composing herself and lifting her head from its spot on his shoulder, she looked up at him with sparkling blue eyes, wet from tears and asked: "Why are you being so nice to me, Jono? Why are you doing this?"

Jono, whose face was hard to make out in the darkness of the room, looked taken aback by the question and Jubilee feared that she had either offended him or that he was going to run from her. Run from anything and everything emotional and clam up, never to speak about such matters like he had with Paige so when she felt the little tingling sensation in her mind, the one that let her know he was there, she was thoroughly surprised.

_*Because I care about ya.*_ He explained simply._ *Probably more than I should.*_

Jubilee's eyes widened at his candidness and she opened her mouth to ask if he meant what she thought he meant. Before the words could even escape her lips Jono nodded his head, revealing the secret he had kept way too long and making Jubilee happier than words ever could have.

Not really knowing what to say, one of Jubilee's hands found the arm that was around her waist and followed it around her back, searching ardently for the hand connected to it. Once her fingers slid off the leather of his jacket and found the warm skin of his hand, she slipped her own hand between his and her waist and brought it around so that she could look at it.

Jono watched as she took is hand and gently threaded their fingers together before bringing both of their hands to her mouth and lovingly kissing his fingertips before lightly squeezing his hand and letting it fall to her lap, still symbolically entwined with hers.

Jono would have been lying if he had tried to claim that he wasn't surprised by her actions, this was just another one of those little things she did that completely changed his view of her. Even through her tragedy, she had taken the time to let him know that his affections were not for naught. She hadn't tried to use the excuse of her tragedy as a reason for not pursuing something with him; she had let him know, by way of such a tiny gesture, that she felt the way he did. No words had ever meant so much to Jono and probably never would.

Paying no attention to his surprise, Jubilee snuggled deeper into Jono and rested head against his shoulder, face buried into his neck.

"How long was I asleep?" She asked suddenly, snapping Jono out his thoughts.

_*Only a few hours.*_ He replied, trying to make out their entwined fingers in the dark.

"Were you down here the whole time, just sitting in the dark?" She inquired in a tiny voice.

_*Unfortunately, no. Ms. Frost and Mr. Cassidy called me into their office to have a word with me. They asked me how you were and if there was anything you needed...*_ He trailed leaning his head back against the headboard.

"And?" Jubilee prompted, knowing that there was something more that he wasn't telling her.

_*And that Monet's room is all set up to accommodate you until they figure out something else.*_ Jono revealed, almost reluctantly.

"Oh." Jubilee said a moment later, hating the idea of leaving the peacefulness that was Jono's room and loathing the idea of leaving Jono himself.

_*You can stay here if you want, though...*_ Jono suggested tightening his hold on her.

Jubilee let out a bitter laugh. "Frosty and Irish would hit the ceiling."

Jono's deep, rumbling chuckle found its way into her brain and Jubilee sighed at the sound. It was a lovely sound and she decided that he should chuckle more often.

After a few moments of just holding each other in silence, Jubilee spoke again.

"You wouldn't mind if I stayed here?" She asked quietly. "I mean, just for tonight most likely. When Frosty and Irish find out they'll probably ban us from looking at each other but until then...you really wouldn't mind if I crashed here...with you?"

Jono found himself once again, taken aback by her actions. She was really willing to risk punishment just to stay with him? He knew she wasn't only doing so for his benefit but she actually wanted to stay with him enough to sit through the lecture about pre-marital sex that Ms. Frost and Mr. Cassidy were most likely going to lay on her? It was unbelievable.

_*Absolutely. My space is your space.*_ Jono assured knowing that if he could have, he would have smiled at the relieved sigh that escaped his companion at his answer.

"Thanks, Jon. I don't really feel like spending any quality time with Monet...or leaving here for that matter. Your room is so nice and quiet." She mused snuggling deeper into him, seeking out the warmth that he had to offer.

_*And you lot wonder why I hardly every leave here...*_ Jono laughed, basking in the pleasure of having her in his arms. Not to mention that she still had that cute little prep-school outfit on, even if he couldn't see it.

"Well now I know why and I promise not to rag you about it anymore." She vowed, letting her eyes close as she began to feel drowsy.

_*You should probably get some rest, luv.*_ Jono remarked, noticing her sleepy demeanor.

Gently moving her off his lap and resting her back on the bed, Jono prepared to leave and let her get her much needed rest. Just as he was about to get up, though, a tiny hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.

"Stay with me, Jono. I need you right now and besides...it wouldn't be right for me to take your bed. This is your room after all." Jubilee pleaded, eyes shining with worry at being left to the dark by herself.

_*It isn't proper, gel.*_ Jono lightly protested, wanting nothing more than to climb into bed and spend the rest of his life holding her to him. Not that he would ever admit it, of course.

In the darkness of the room, Jono couldn't really make out all the details but he could hear her sigh and he just knew that she had probably rolled her eyes at him.

"Proper?" She repeated exasperatedly.

_*Proper.*_ Jono confirmed. _*You just turned seventeen, gel and I'm pushin' twenty here. Not exactly what you Americans would call proper.*_ He explained.

"What would make it proper then?" She inquired, letting out another sigh.

Jono thought for a moment, shocked that she would even ask something like that. He knew what would make it proper by America's standards and that wasn't possible but he also knew what would make it semi-proper and that was possible, well he hoped it was anyway.

_*You know that, luv.*_ Jono simply stated, revealing nothing.

"Well I'm not running off to marry you at whatever time of night this is." Jubilee bluntly informed. "If I wasn't most likely already in trouble for staying in here this long, I'd definitely be in trouble come tomorrow morning with Frosty."

Then she was silent for a moment, thinking of a way to get Jono to stay with her. He was a comforting presence and right now she needed him. She had probably needed him long before this night but now she had an excuse. Suddenly her eyes lit up and even though Jono couldn't really see her reaction, his mind was still connected to hers and he could tell that she was about to spout out some plan that would make everything _'proper'_ as he had said.

"I know, Sparky!" She exclaimed and Jono mentally groaned at the nickname. "How about we embark on a serious relationship tonight? That way it's kinda okay 'cause we're goin' out and Frosty and Irish can't really say anything about _properness._ Whaddya say?"

Jono almost laughed at her little plan and the way she had expressed it. She had sounded so much like she had when he had first joined Generation-X but the underlying, pleading tone to her voice told otherwise.

_*Alright, luv. I'll be yar boyfriend for tonight.*_ He whispered across her mind.

Jubilee audibly sighed as he slipped beneath the covers with her and held her close to him.

"Who knows? I might allow you to be my boyfriend longer than that if you're good." She laughed, but Jono could tell that she was pleased.

As soon as he had relented, Jono had felt Jubilee's body seek his out and press against him, needing to feel him to be sure that someone was in the room with her. She needed to know that he hadn't left her to be swallowed by her own thoughts, that he was still there with her, ready to be there for her in a way that no one had ever dared to.

"Thanks Jono. I'm sure this isn't the way you had wanted to spend your night but I appreciate it." Jubilee sleepily told him.

_*I wouldn't want to spend my night any other way, luv.*_ Jono assured as he settled back against his pillows and prepared for sleep to overtake him.

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The next morning Jubilee awoke to sunlight filtering through Jono's curtains and the sounds of someone banging loudly on the door. After a few seconds the banging stopped and Jubilee heard Ms. Frost yell: "Jubilee! Jono! I know you're both in there! You get out in this hallway right this minute and explain to me why Jubilee's not in Monet's room!"

Jubilee sighed and closed her eyes again, snuggling her back into Jono's chest. She had hoped that she would wake up the same way she had fallen asleep, with the soft, tingling feeling of Jono's presence in her mind and the sensual feeling of his bandages sliding over her neck. It had been a pleasant way to fall asleep; this mode of arousal however was not.

Jubilee groaned as Ms. Frost resumed banging loudly on the door.

_*Ya're going to have to face her sometime.*_ Jono spoke up, watching as Jubilee turned in his arms to face him.

_*But I don't want to.*_ She thought back, glaring lightly at him as he took his arms from around her, rolled over on his back and began to mentally laugh at her. _*I wouldn't be too jolly just yet if I was you. You have to face them too!* _She warned, her glare deepening as he just ignored her words and laughed even harder.

_*I'm sorry, luv.*_ Jono apologized. _*I didn't mean to laugh at ya, ya just look so cute with that little scowl on yar face.* _He informed, bringing his hand up and lightly stroking her still scowling lips.

_*Yeah well you won't be so happy if I decide to tell Frosty and Irish that you took advantage of my tragic ridden state during the middle of the night.*_ And now it was Jubilee's turn to laugh.

Jono shot up from his lounging position and his face had completely sobered up at her statement, eyes growing wide.

_*Ya wouldn't.*_

_*Oh wouldn't I?*_ Jubilee teased between laughs.

Just as Jono was about to lunge at her, Jubilee threw the blankets over his head and began to get up. She had only just gotten up when Jono's hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back down onto the bed with him. They playfully wrestled for a few minutes before Jono finally gained the upper hand and found himself on top of her giggling form.

_*Now what was that about me takin' advantage of ya?* _

_*Well it's not as if this little position helps to prove me wrong.*_ She said, trying to keep her composure as Jono blushed, surveying their situation. _*Oh lighten up, Jon. No one would ever believe that you took advantage of me.*_

Now when Jono looked up, he looked completely offended. _*And why not?*_

Jubilee rolled her eyes. _*Because you're too sweet to do anything like that. Geesh, make up your mind man. Do you want to be seen as a potential sex offender or not?*_ She laughed.

Jono glared at her for a moment before joining in her contagious laughter. After a few moments, the banging on the door stopped and Ms. Frost's yells could be heard again.

_*We'd better go and face 'em, luv before Ms. Frost blows a gasket.*_ Jono informed as he removed himself from above Jubilee and fell onto the bed beside her on his back.

_*I guess so.*_ Jubilee thought reluctantly. _*No matter what happens after we leave this room, Jono, I want to thank you for everything you did for me yesterday. You're a great pal.* _

_*No I'm not. I'm a great _boyfriend_.*_ He reminded, eyes crinkling at the corners letting Jubilee know that if he could, he'd be smiling.

_*The best.*_ Jubilee confirmed leaning over and kissing his bandages lightly.

Jubilee giggled as she saw Jono's eyes widen in surprise. She didn't know how she could be so happy but she was. Yesterday she had lost her room and belongings, slept all night in the room of a member of the opposite sex and was now facing some horrible lecture about teen pregnancy. She should be angry, depressed, saddened by this, anything but happy but she just couldn't bring herself to wipe the smile off her face. Jono had put that smile there and that smile held such a powerful feeling that she guessed it wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon. It was true that she had lost her room but in place of her belongings, she had gained a bond with Jono that couldn't just be burned to the ground. Sighing, Jubilee figured the only logical explanation for all of this was that sometimes, you had to lose something before you could find something.

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_Finally it's finished! It feels that I've been working on this piece forever, though it's only been a few days. Well I hope the time spent working on it wasn't wasted. Did you like it, hate it, are iffy about it? Give me some input people, please review. I would be eternally grateful. _

_Thanks so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful day._

_-anon g._ **;)**


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